Scientists and doctors have revealed the horrifying reality of what you hear just before you pass away, as research into brain activity just before death has illuminated the final moments of many patients.
People always envision the feeling right before you die as entering a mysterious light ahead of you and seeing your life flash before your eyes, and while some of that does line up with the scientific reality, much of how people actually pass away is potentially more horrifying than you might expect.
Research into the brain has revealed that chemicals released just before death do indeed cause memories to flash rapidly in your mind, giving you the ability to see your whole life in a matter of seconds, and there is also evidence that your brain activity continues for a short period after you are officially declared dead.
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It is within these final moments of brain activity that your hearing ceases though, and you're likely to hear the worst possible thing in that short period of time before you pass away forever.
What is the last thing you hear before you die?
As reported by the Express, the last thing that many patients hear just before they die is doctors officially pronouncing their time of death, which would no doubt be a horrifying thing to reckon with.
This is because you're technically declared dead the moment that your heart stops beating, as it cuts off the supply of blood to your brain. However, studies have revealed that the brain continues to remain active for a short while after this, and you also likely retain your sense of hearing.
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In addition to proclamations of your own death, there's also the chance that you're able to hear full conversations - including those made by your family, friends, or anyone close to you at the moment you pass away.
One study from scientists at the University of Michigan suggested that the brain goes into a 'hyper-alerted state' shortly after the heart stops beating, at which point your senses remain active for a very brief period.
Of course, hearing the announcement of your own death relies on you being in a hospital and surrounded by doctors in the moment that you pass away, but the theory extends to whatever surrounding you find yourself in, and the result could be equally horrifying or peaceful depending on where you are.
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Thankfully it does seem that many people who have miraculously 'died' for a brief moment but come back to life have described the moment as absurdly peaceful.
"Cardiac arrest at age 23. I did not realize what was happening but began to feel lightheaded and sat down," explains one comment on Reddit, "and then remember feeling an incredibly brief overwhelming peace and comfort, followed by absolute nothingness."
Another added that they used to work with someone who technically drowned before being resuscitated, detailing that "the last thing he remembered before going out was this feeling of absolutely peaceful serenity."